About The Author

Wallis Snowdon

Wallis Snowdon is a digital journalist with CBC Edmonton. She has nearly a decade of experience reporting behind her. Originally from New Brunswick, her journalism career has taken her from Nova Scotia to Fort McMurray. Share your stories with Wallis at wallis.snowdon@cbc.ca

Last week in Camrose, an owl was struck on the highway and survived for hours embedded in the frigid grille of a truck before being rescued.

Jennifer Thomas, a teacher at École Camrose Composite High School, was driving to work when she hit the bird, but assuming it was was dead, continued on her commute.

Eventually, the bird was rescued from its honeycomb prison with the gentle hand of a conservation officer, and a reciprocating saw.

After spending a few minutes dazed on the side of the road, the owl shook off, hopped into the ditch and flew into the night. (Adam Marton)

It was released into the wild later that evening.

"I've heard of people hitting owls," Marton said. "But I've never heard of them being pulled out of a grille and still live and fly away. I would never have thought that could happen.

"I just never thought [those] birds would be that tough."

Although the encounters left Marton shaking his head, birdwatchers have reported finding a number of dead owls along Alberta highways in recent days.

'It is a damn shame whenever one of our owls get hit'

The collisions come as no surprise to Chris Fisher, a biologist and Alberta bird expert. Great horned owls are nocturnal creatures, and spend many hours each night perched along power poles, trees or barn roofs, scouting for wandering mice and voles.

"These perches tend to be found alongside our roads which contribute a great risk whenever they take flight," Fisher said.

"Add to this our current snow conditions that make hunting in our ditches attractive, well you have the reason why we've entered our yearly owl roadkill season."

This great horned owl was hit by a truck near Camrose and managed to survive hours embedded in a frigid grille before being rescued. (Fish and Wildlife Enforcement)

Fisher said snowy owls and grey owls are also frequently hit by vehicles.

He said drivers can minimize the risk of collisions by scanning the road for any signs of the winged creatures, and take extra precautions if they see one perched nearby.

And if you do happen to hit an owl, Fisher urges people to take the bird to the nearest wildlife rehabilitation facility for medical treatment.

"Since these birds are just struggling to make a living through the freeze and famine — being struck down by a vehicle is just the ultimate insult," Fisher said.